Wallet consolidator

Abstract

A method and apparatus for warehousing information in a wallet consolidator. The wallet consolidator includes a controller for controlling operation of the wallet consolidator, a magnetic stripe reader/writer for reading and writing magnetic stripes, a bar code scanner for scanning bar codes, a keypad for inputting user selections and commands, a memory for storing information provided to the wallet consolidator, a smart card interface for effectuating communication between the wallet consolidator and a smart card and a display screen for displaying text and graphics, the display screen further for displaying a bar code pattern capable of being scanned by a bar code reader. To store information in the wallet consolidator, or alternatively in a smart card interfaced to the wallet consolidator, information is read from magnetic stripes on various types of cards such as, but not limited to, credit, debit and identification cards. Additionally, images of the cards including, but not limited to, signatures and portraits are downloaded and stored. A user retrieves the information from any of the stored magnetic stripes and writes the information to a single magnetic stripe for use in a point of sale transaction. Similarly, stored images are retrieved and displayed on a display screen including a bar code which can be scanned by a bar code scanner.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A wallet consolidator comprising: 
       a magnetic stripe reader/writer for reading and writing at least one magnetic stripe on at least one smart card having both an integrated circuit therein and at least one magnetic stripe thereon;  
       a memory within said wallet consolidator for storing information read from said at least one magnetic stripe on said at least one credit card having an integrated circuit therein;  
       a smart card interface for effectuating communication between the wallet consolidator and a smart card having an integrated circuit therein; and  
       a means to write at least a portion of said information read from said at least one magnetic stripe of said at least one smart card back onto said smart card having an integrated circuit therein into a memory within said smart card having an integrated circuit therein.